Provider readiness support

On this page:

Supporting providers through change
What we will do
Our current work
Provider Readiness Training Programme
Reports and research
Further information

Supporting providers through change

We recognise the changes taking place in the legal aid market and that providers may need support in key areas.

Our Provider Readiness and Support team identifies support requirements and develops support solutions.

This will ensure we have enough providers at each stage of the reform programme that are:

ready and able to provide services of the required quality that we want to purchase
able to engage effectively in the tender process
able to work with the new systems and processes so we can meet our legal responsibilities for the delivery of legal aid.

What we will do

The PRS team will:

Review the requirements of the reform programme
Identify potential gaps in provider knowledge
Produce the means to fill those gaps

What we have achieved

PRS have formed and now facilitate the Provider Reference Groups to increase the direct communication with providers.
A survey of IT use in the legal aid market
An independent survey of business financial development requirements
The commissioning of a guide to growing your business
Sharing of proposed support with representative bodies

Our current work

We're addressing how information on the reform programme is communicated. The result is a ‘guide to the reform programme’ with links to support.
We continue to develop our support programme
Continue to work with representative bodies, including attending the ASA and BSN conferences, to discuss reform requirements.

Provider Readiness Training Programme

The LSC is offering free training, with CPD points, in essential business and financial management skills for legal aid providers.

The Provider Readiness Training Programme aims to help providers understand how they can develop efficiencies in their business, realise cost reductions and improve profitability.

The programme will also improve readiness for the future, giving providers general insight into what they need to do to be ready when our procurement processes change.

Training will be delivered primarily through an Online Learning System.

Face-to-face training seminars will be piloted in Manchester, Bristol and Bridgwater in September and October.

Because of the pilot of Best Value Tendering in Greater Manchester and Somerset and Avon, these seminars have been tailored specifically for providers, whatever their current location, who may be interested in bidding for a crime contract within the pilot areas.

There are five modules in the programme:

Financial Skills (1) – Understanding Your Costs
Financial Skills (2) – Profitability
Expanding Your Business
Alternative Business Structures
Effective Use of Technology

For more information about each of these modules, and to register for the face-to-face seminars, please go to the Online Learning System.

Due to the limited number of spaces available at the face-to-face seminars we ask that only one representative from each firm attend. This individual should ideally be the key business decision maker in that specific area of business. This is to ensure that any learning can be applied within your firm in the most effective manner.

There may be an opportunity for more representatives to attend, and this will be determined as the registration process continues.

Reports and research

The Independent Financial Survey Reports are now available.

For more information please see our Research page.

Further information

For more information on the work of the Provider Readiness and Support Team, please contact James O'Reilly.

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Last updated: 21 October 2009